If you’ve never tried your hand at wildlife photography, we hope to change that today, with the simple primer below that covers all the basics. You’ll pick up a variety of technical tips, shooting advice, and suggestions for finding appropriate subjects wherever you happen to be.

Most landscape photographers carry a polarizing filter in their bag for darkening pale skies, making colors more vibrant, and eliminating distracting reflections from water. But what if you’re out in the field and your polarizer is at home?